How to use AI to write a better blog post
If you’ve ever tried to write an engaging and insightful blog post, you know it takes time and concentration. That’s something not everyone has a lot of.
You might have seen that tech companies are increasingly promising that AI will make writing (and pretty much everything else) easier, but have you ever tried asking a tool like ChatGPT to “Write a blog post about…”? I have and the results were distinctly underwhelming.
The resulting article is rarely inaccurate (or at least, not too inaccurate) but it is generic – it just sounds like everyone else.
Like any tool, a successful result depends on how you use it. So, how do you get past the initial underwhelm and create good quality blog posts with AI?
Writing before AI
Writing a blog yourself involves coming up with an idea, then drafting, then editing, and then refining until it is ready to wow your readers. This process can be time-consuming and often frustrating – writer’s block isn’t unusual – especially if you’re under pressure to produce content regularly.
Many coaches and consultants rely solely on their own creativity and writing skills. Their posts might be informative but often lack the spark needed to grab the reader.
It can also be a struggle to consistently produce engaging content without feeling like you’re repeating yourself or getting lost in the details.
To sum up, blog writing can be a lot of hard work for a result that fails to resonate with your target audience. The juice isn’t worth the squeeze and blogging becomes just another chore on the marketing to-do list.
How can AI help?
ChatGPT and the like are hyped as tools that can do it all for you. That’s not true BUT they are great at clarifying your ideas and getting you started.
The key is to see your AI tools as assistants, not replacements.
For example, ChatGPT can assist in generating ideas, crafting initial drafts, or even refining your content. Once you have a topic relevant to your ideal client’s issues or concerns, you can use AI to do the first draft of the post for you. But don’t just ask it to write the post; instead, outline the key points or pressing questions to be answered, then detail the intended audience and how you want the post structured. The more specific guidance you can give it, the better the initial draft will be.
Then you can refine the content. Add your own examples and personal anecdotes. Fact-check it to ensure accuracy. Tweak the wording so that it sounds like you.
This approach saves time and reduces the pressure on you, making the writing process both more efficient and enjoyable. It takes away some of the ‘drudge’ work, letting you focus more on the creative aspects of writing, such as storytelling and personal insights.
5 ways to use AI to write better blog posts
- Idea generation: Use ChatGPT or NotebookLM to suggest blog topics. You can ask it what questions your ideal client might have, or to suggest concepts or subjects that your ideal client might not yet know about. This can help you find unique perspectives on familiar topics.
- Content structuring: Expand an idea into an outline. If you have a rough idea of what to write about, then you can ask ChatGPT to expand it into a structured outline, which you can then personalise and build upon.
- First draft creation: Feed ChatGPT your outline or main ideas, and let it generate a first draft. You can take this and edit it from here (this is what I do), or you can get ChatGPT to keep editing and working on the idea, giving it more guidance with each version.
- Editing and refining: After drafting, ask ChatGPT to suggest improvements, such as rephrasing sentences for clarity or enhancing the flow of the content.
- SEO and keyword optimisation: AI can also help with keyword research and optimisation. Use tools like ChatGPT to suggest relevant keywords and then integrate them naturally into your content.
But… “Won’t AI make my writing less authentic?”
I hear this a lot, and I often have this question myself when I read the first draft output. The fear that AI might dilute your voice or lead to generic content is understandable. Just remember you’re not asking it to generate the final version of your blog post. Think of it as a co-writer who helps you get started or unstuck when you hit a snag. The authenticity of your content comes from the personal touches and insights you add during the editing and refining stages.
Should you use AI?
AI tools like ChatGPT can help you write better blogs and make the process quicker and easier. By assisting with idea generation, content structuring, and drafting, AI allows you to focus more on creativity and less on the technicalities of writing. Remember, the power of AI lies in how you use it – it’s a tool to enhance, not replace, your unique voice.
And if you don’t believe me, I used AI to write this blog and I then edited it with the help of my copy editor, Dave.
If you want to learn more about using AI in your content creation and marketing, I have created a video course for coaches, consultants, and small business owners. The course explains how AI works in simple terms and demonstrates the many different tools and applications for using AI to make your marketing quicker and easier.
